Willard Peterson speaking at York County Commissioners meeting – York News-Times photo
York News-Times Reprint
Written by Parker Garlough
Willard Peterson, a permanent fixture of County Board meetings for 16 years, is now running for a seat.
“I have been at 99.7% of every county commissioner meeting since 2010 … it wouldn’t take all your toes and fingers to count the number of meetings where I did not say something at public comment,” Peterson said.
That means he’s been present at meetings longer than any of the commissioners have been in office.
“He already comes to all of our meetings… he’s a familiar face around the courthouse,” Commissioner Joe Burgess said.
For a long time, that public comment seat was where he preferred to be.
“I used to tell myself that I thought maybe I could do more good in public comment,” Peterson said.
But he concluded that was just an excuse. Now, he’s afraid that if he doesn’t run for County Board this election cycle, it’ll be too late.
“I’m either 78 or 79, I don’t know what,” Peterson said. “I could put it off for one more round, but that would be four years from now; then I’m over the 80 hump.”
He believes his campaign will have strong support from the community — though he’s not taking a victory for granted.
“Ever since I retired, you would not believe how many people have told me, ‘You need to run. We need you on that board,’” Peterson said. “I’m talking dozens and dozens and dozens of people that have said that.”
He has no grudge against Commissioner Andy Bowman, the incumbent whom he’s running against.
“That’s not why I’m running at all … Andy is an OK guy,” Peterson said. “He has different opinions than I do sometimes, but I’m not going to say he is wrong. If I did, then I would be wrong in a different way.”
Commissioner Burgess did not express a preference for either candidate.
“They both want to help out the community, and they put a good amount of time into it,” he said.
Peterson is currently a member of the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission and the Aging board.
On the Aging Board, he assembled a team of volunteers to deliver meals to housebound seniors in Bradshaw.
